Hepatitis C virus epitopes

Abstract

Peptide antigens which are immunoreactive with sera from individuals infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are disclosed. Several of the antigens are immunologically reactive with antibodies present in individuals identified as having chronic and acute HCV infection. The antigens are useful in diagnostic methods for detecting HCV infection in humans. Also disclosed are corresponding genomic-fragment clones containing polynucleotides encoding the open reading frame sequences for the antigenic peptides.

It is claimed: 
     
       1. A purified polypeptide immunoreactive with sera from humans infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), which: a) is encoded by an HCV coding sequence; and   b) includes a 504 amino acid polypeptide encoded by said HCV sequence having the sequence presented as SEQ. ID NO:6.   
     
     
       2. A polypeptide for detecting the presence of Hepatitis C Virus antibodies in a serum sample, comprising a polypeptide produced by bacterial cells containing lambda vector ATCC No. 40901, where said polypeptide contains the sequence presented as SEQ ID NO:4.